BOX SCORE 
MIKE BALL'S OVER-THE-SHOULDER GOAL (YOUTUBE)

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Mike Ball (Salem, NH) totaled six goals to lead Southern New Hampshire University to a 17-8 Northeast-10 men's lacrosse victory over Saint Michael's College at Larkin Field Saturday afternoon.  The win, the fourth straight for the Penmen, ups their record to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the Northeast-10, while the Purple Knights are now 3-5 and 2-3 in the league.  Both SNHU and Saint Michael's received votes in the most recent USILA Division II poll.

The four-game win streak is the longest for Southern New Hampshire since winning the final four games of the 2003 season.

Ball, the Division II leader in points and goals per game, has scored 24 goals during SNHU's winning streak.  John Delanoy (Lansdale, PA) registered three goals and three assists for the Penmen, who also got three goals and an assist from Chris Dindler (Stephney, Australia).  Spencer Rennick (Peabody, MA) registered a goal and three assists while Keith Merluzzo (Billerica, MA) had a goal and two helpers.  Sean Ball (Salem, NH), Gary McKay (Billerica, MA) and Ryan Allen (Charlestown, MA) all had single goals for SNHU.

Charlie Niznansky led Saint Michael's with two goals and an assist while Mike Boerma added a pair of goals.

Southern New Hampshire never trailed and led 4-3 after one quarter and extended their lead to 6-3 2:12 into the second quarter on back-to-back goals by Mike Ball.  Saint Michael's pulled within 6-5 with 6:33 left before halftime on a Mike Bednarz tally, but the Penmen would reclaim a two-goal lead when Rennick scored 14 seconds before the break to make it 7-5.

The hosts scored the first two goals of the second half to take a 9-5 lead midway through the third quarter on another Mike Ball goal.  Nate Noble scored for SMC with 3:33 left in the third to make it 9-6, but Mike Ball would score an over-the-shoulder goal with five seconds left in the frame to give the Penmen a 10-6 lead.  The Penmen would put the game away by scoring five of the first six goals of the fourth quarter and Dindler's third goal of the game with 7:48 left gave Southern New Hampshire a 15-7 lead.

Eric Gunst (Exeter, NH) went the distance in goal for Southern New Hampshire and turned aside 15 shots as Saint Michael's held a 46-39 shot advantage.  Jeff Hannon played the first 53:32 in goal for Saint Michael's and turned aside seven shots before being relieved by Zach Jandl, who made two saves.

Southern New Hampshire returns to action on Wednesday afternoon when it travels to Franklin Pierce University.